Boy #1: The Wannabe Rockstar (Oh, Those Boys) Read online

  That's interesting.

  “That's very flattering, thank you,” Cass laughed. “I hope I can be just as flawless on this project.”

  “Can I ask, where are you from?” Josh asked, leaning back in his chair. “Am I hearing an accent?”

  She laughed again and nervously smoothed her hand over her hair.

  “Maybe,” she nodded her head. “My father was in the army, I grew up in Britain from age five to fifteen. Most people don't notice it.”

  “It's very slight, but I like it. It's pretty.”

  It seemed like he'd surprised himself with his last statement, and she blushed. It was a slightly inappropriate comment between professionals just meeting for the first time, but she didn't really mind.

  Wait ... is he ... is he flirting with me!? My god, it's been so long since I've flirted with anyone, I've forgotten what it sounds like!

  Before any awkwardness could settle in over his statement, more people filed into the conference room. Cassie's assistant came and sat at her side, while Josh's assistant sat by him. The hall's caterer joined them, as well, along with several other people, all bustling and chatting as they took their seats.

  Once everyone was settled, they got down to discussing how exactly they were going to organize everything. Cass had sketched out most of her plans, and she passed them around the table. The only part of the evening she was struggling with was the band's performance.

  “No one's given me their name,” she explained. “I have no clue what kind of music they do, what style. What kind of stage set up should we have; will the dance floor need to be cleared? Bright, neon lights? Or black lights and strobes? Please tell me it's not like death metal or anything.”

  Josh laughed.

  “No. They're kind of ... I don't know, old school? Pop punk, or pop rock. A little like Fall Out Boy, or Simple Plan, if you've ever listened to them. They perform for a lot of our events here, they do a lot of covers for this kind of stuff.”

  “Okay. So punk music for tweens,” Cass laughed, scribbling notes on her pad. “What's their look? Dramatic top hats? Ripped jeans? Emo?”

  “I actually invited some of the guys to stop by,” Josh pulled out his phone and checked it. “They're performing for another event we're having, I think they're just setting up for rehearsals. You can get a sense of their style easier if you meet them.”

  “Sounds good. Now for the dinner, does your -”

  Cass was interrupted by a knock at the door. Josh moved to let in their new guests, and she stood up as well, smoothing her hands down her sides. She plastered her business smile on her face, then turned to face the door.

  The smile froze in place, though, when she saw who was walking through it.

  She was glad to see that when Micah recognized her, too, he looked just as stunned.

  “Cassandra St. John, everyone, this is Micah Gannis and Tyler Coswell,” Josh introduced everyone. “Two of the members of the band Envy Road.”

  Tyler Coswell said “hi” and began moving around the table, shaking hands. Micah just stood and stared at Cassie for a long moment.

  She stared right back.

  What is he doing here? He's in a band? How did I not know that? Of course, he had no idea I was an event planner. Does he sing? I can't even imagine, I hate his voice. No, that's a lie, he has a great voice. Shit, what is he doing here!?

  And then Tyler was in front of her, smiling and shaking her hand.

  “Cassandra?” he double checked her name. “You seem familiar, have we met before?”

  Cassie racked her brain. She honestly couldn't say if she'd ever seen him before or not, but it wouldn't be surprising if she had – he'd probably been to Micah's apartment, seen her in the hall.

  “I don't think so, but it's a pleasure,” she babbled. “I can't wait to hear your music.”

  He said some other things, she couldn't be sure what, before moving on to her assistant. Micah took his place, still staring at her as he held out his hand.

  “Hello, Cassandra.”

  She swallowed thickly before placing her hand in his; he'd never said her full name before, she was pretty sure. In fact, she was willing to bet he hadn't even known it. He'd probably guessed it was just plain ol' Cassie.

  “Hi ... Micah,” she forced his name out.

  She felt like an idiot, standing there smiling at him, acting as if they didn't already know each other. Why? It didn't matter if anyone else knew, it wasn't like she'd have to add on the disclaimer “he's my neighbor, and oh, we occasionally-slash-frequently have manic sex together”.

  She realized she was blushing, and felt even more ridiculous. Micah noticed, too, and smirked down at her. He squeezed her hand once before letting it go.

  Once everyone was seated again, Cass got ahold of herself and got back down to business. Tyler, the obvious leader of the band, went over the set list they had mocked up, and talked a bit about the band's general style. She nodded as she looked over the songs.

  “This is going to be neat,” she said once he'd finished. “A lot of these are old favorites of mine.”

  “Really?” Tyler beamed back at her. From next to him, Micah cleared his throat.

  “I'm surprised,” he added. “What kind of music do you usually listen to, Cass?”

  She saw Josh's eyebrows raise at the shortened version of her name – she hadn't told anyone to call her that, it was a very familiar way of addressing her. She shrugged her shoulders and started picking up her paperwork.

  “I like a little bit of everything,” she finally replied. “A lot of older stuff, mostly, from the 90s and 80s.”

  “Gotta love the classics,” Tyler chuckled. She glanced at him, but Micah continued staring straight at her.

  “I think we've got a lot of good stuff to start with,” Josh said, nodding at everyone. “I'll give your menu ideas to the kitchen, see what they can put together. Send over your people to run the lighting programs. If there isn't anything else ...”

  They went over a couple more odds and ends as they collected their belongings. Cass forgot all about Micah as she got into a conversation with Josh about Gloucestershire, England. She'd pretty much grown up there, and it turned out it was also where Josh had been stationed when he'd been in the air force.

  “What a coincidence!” Cass was genuinely shocked.

  “Yeah,” he chuckled as he led her out of the room. “I mean, obviously, I was a few years later than you.”

  “I'd hope so,” she teased. “Being in the air force at fifteen wouldn't have been very fun.”

  “I didn't think it was very fun at nineteen, either,” he snorted.

  “This went well today,” she sighed when they reached the exit. “I think this is going to be a great event.”

  “I think so, too. I really look forward to working with you, Cass,” he said, and she laughed at his use of her nickname.

  “Me, too. We'll be in touch.”

  They said goodbye, and he turned away as she went through the exit. When she stepped out the door, though, she just about shrieked when she bumped into Micah. He'd been standing right outside it.

  “I didn't know you'd lived in England.”

  She blinked up at him, then had to lift her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sun.

  “Huh?”

  “How does crackerjack in there know you're from England, and I don't?” Micah asked, stepping out of her way, then following her to her car.

  “You never asked,” she pointed out. He rolled his eyes, then dug a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

  “I seriously doubt suit-and-tie back there asked, either.”

  “He did. He said I had a very pretty accent,” she smiled big as she repeated the compliment.

  “Christ on sale,” Micah grumbled, then ducked his head to light a cigarette. “I thought you were Australian. Or had maybe had a stroke at some point.”

  Cassie swung her portfolio, whacking him in the stomach with it.

  “You're
such a dick,” she growled. “And a band, huh? I feel like I should've guessed that.”

  “Why?”

  “Your horrible taste in fashion,” she said, jerking her thumb at his t-shirt. “And you're always out late, always sleeping in. All the women. Oh, and because you had soundproofing stuff on hand.”

  The one nice thing he'd done for her – shortly after they'd started sleeping together, Micah had brought home a bunch of green foam type material. Almost like an eggshell mattress. She'd seen it piled up outside his door. Then she'd spent the entire night listening to him nailing it up on his wall. After that, the caterwauling sex sounds barely filtered through to her side.

  “I've got style, baby,” he laughed, rubbing his hand down his chest.

  “If that's what you call it. What do you do in this so-called band?” she asked.

  “Right now, lead guitar.”

  She laughed along with him when he shredded an air guitar.

  “Righteous, dude.”

  “But I can play drums when needed, and bass,” he added.

  “Must be pretty good, if the mayor's daughter likes you enough to request you.”

  “We're okay. It pays the bills, but I didn't exactly imagine myself playing birthdays and weddings, you know?”

  “I get that,” Cassie said, nodding her head. “When I got into this job, I thought it was going to be glamorous. Cut to me six months in, crying after some bridezilla ripped me a new asshole, and all because I ordered the exact flowers she'd asked for – except that she'd changed her mind without telling anyone.”

  Micah chuckled, and they finally reached her car in the parking lot. When they turned to face each other, Cass suddenly realized it was probably the most amount of actual talking they'd ever done. It made her feel a little strange, like maybe getting to know him wasn't such a good idea. She liked their arrangement, she didn't want it to change. But as he stared down the length of his nose at her, the cigarette forgotten in his hand for the moment, she worried it might be too late to stop the change from happening.

  “How old are you, Cassandra?” he drew out her name. She licked her lips.

  “Twenty-seven.”

  He grinned.

  “Twenty-seven. You look good,” his eyes traveled up and down her body. He'd seen her naked dozens of times, and yet this felt so different. “And British, huh?”

  “No,” she shook her head. “American. I just lived there for ten years. I've spent more time here.”

  He stared at her for a couple seconds longer, and for some ridiculous reason, she almost felt like panting. He had large, expressive gray-blue eyes, sitting below strong, dark brows, giving him an intense look. Paired with his height and his slender frame, she was amazed she'd never guessed he was a wannabe rockstar. He fit the stereotype to a T, down to his ratty t-shirt and permanent smirk.

  He's gorgeous.

  And then he flicked his cigarette butt onto the hood of her car, and Cassie let out an annoyed shout before running around to grab it.

  “Don't wait up for me tonight, babe. I've gotta practice for a big gig,” Micah said, then smacked her sharply on the ass.

  She whirled around to hit him, but he was already heading back to the hall, his long legs carrying him fast away from her.

  Maybe I was wrong. Maybe nothing will change.

  “And by the way!” he shouted from the exit. “I'm twenty-five, you cradle robber!”

  Cass held up her middle finger, and even from that far away, she could hear him laugh as he disappeared into the building.

  2

  “Cass.”

  She was dreaming. She was on a game show, and she had to hit a buzzer to give her answers. But she couldn't stop hitting it, so the buzzer kept going off.

  “Cassie.”

  The show's host and the entire audience were laughing at her, but she still couldn't stop. She just kept pounding her hand repeatedly on the buzzer.

  “Cassandra!”

  She woke up with a shout when she felt a hand connect with her ass.

  “What!? What!?” she shouted, trying to shove her hair away from her face.

  “Your fucking alarm. Shut it off.”

  She was laying on her stomach, hanging halfway off her bed. She could see her phone at the edge of her rug, where it must have fallen the night before when her pants had been yanked off her. She stretched out and managed to thumb the alarm off. Then she rolled onto her back, let out a deep sigh, and glanced to her right.

  “Sooo ... what are you doing here?”

  Micah laughed, then yawned and stretched his arms above his head, scratching at her headboard.

  They'd slept together lots of times, but they'd never literally slept together. If they were at her place, he always went home. If they were somewhere else, they went their separate ways. In the three months they'd been having their little fling, they'd never fallen asleep together.

  Of course, last night had been pretty intense.

  After “meeting” Micah at the event hall, Cassie hadn't seen him again for a couple days, which wasn't a huge surprise – they often went for long stretches of time without seeing each other, as life and other duties got in the way. This time felt different, though. Almost like he'd been avoiding her. Not wanting to dive into the why of that, she'd simply acted like nothing was wrong.

  The night before, though, she'd bumped into him while taking out her trash. He'd gotten locked out and had been trying to buzz her to let him inside. She'd laughed at him on their way back up, teasing him for forgetting his keys. When she'd asked how he was gonna get into his apartment, he'd simply dug her keys out of her pocket and let himself into her place. When she'd marched inside to tell him to leave, he'd bent her over her breakfast bar and shut her up quickly.

  And then he'd dragged her into the bedroom and laid her out on the mattress. Held her up against the wall in her shower. Fell on top of her on the floor by her bed.

  Jesus, I don't even remember getting in bed. Thank god I don't have to work today, my legs are killing me.

  “I messaged Tyler last night while you were sleeping,” Micah said through another yawn. “He's gonna bring my spare key over later. You snore, by the way.”

  She was pulling a sheet up over her body, and she paused long enough to smack him in the shoulder.

  “I do not.”

  “I think you have a deviated septum.”

  She hit him harder.

  “I do not!”

  “You should really see a doctor.”

  That time, he got a pillow to the face.

  “I do not,” she argued. “And even if I did have the most deviated septum of all septums, it wouldn't matter, because I sleep alone.”

  “Are you always so cranky in the morning?” Micah grumbled, then he rolled onto his side and draped his arm across her waist. “Maybe cuddling me will make you feel better.”

  “I do not want to cuddle with you.”

  His arm moved and she felt his hand on top of her head, gently pushing down.

  “Maybe blowing me will make you feel better.”

  She couldn't help it – she burst out laughing.

  “I don't think so,” she snickered, batting his hand away. “And yes, I'm always this cranky in the morning.”

  “Lame. You should go make us coffee.”

  “Make? I don't even own a coffee pot – there's a Starbuck's on every corner,” she pointed out.

  “Then you should go get us coffee. I bet Tyler will come while you're gone, and you can even enjoy yours in peace.

  Very tempting. It felt strange, waking up with Micah in her bed. Laughing and chatting and laying next to each other in the morning sunlight. Part of her did want to cuddle with him, and just thinking that horrified her so much, she jumped out of bed.

  “Coffee it is.”

  She got dressed quickly, a little unnerved as he watched her the whole time. Like it was a reverse strip tease. She got his drink order before she dashed out the front door.

 
There really was a coffee shop just down the street from their place, so Cass was back with the two cups in less than fifteen minutes. She called out his name as soon as she walked into her apartment, but there was no answer. Her kitchenette was tiny and looked down on her sunken living room; nowhere for anybody to hide there.

  A set of French doors separated her bedroom from the living space, and they were wide open, showing off her empty bed with its rumpled sheets. She could even see her trail of clothing across the floor. Micah had simply dropped everything behind him as he'd peeled it off her.

  “I guess he got his key,” she mumbled to herself, setting his coffee on her breakfast bar.

  When she'd woken up, she'd just wanted him gone. But now that he was, she felt a little bummed. Like he'd rushed out of there at the first chance he'd gotten; as if he'd had to get away from her.

  Kinda like what I just did. Stop being an idiot, Cass.

  She blew over her coffee as she made her way into her room, kicking her clothing out of the way as she went. She frowned at the mess, knowing she should clean it up. But she wanted to take a shower first. So she took a large swig of her drink before reaching for her bathroom door.

  As she turned the knob, though, someone on the other side turned it, as well, and she let out a shout as she almost fell into the bathroom. Micah also let out a yell, but didn't move when she stumbled against his bare chest. He only had a towel wrapped around his waist, and he was covered in water droplets.

  “Jesus, you scared me! I thought you'd left!” she gasped, pushing away from him and pressing her free hand to her chest.

  “Just taking a shower,” he chuckled. “You're still stuck with me.”

  “Ha ha. I hope you saved me some hot water,” she warned him.

  “A little. I hope you've got another coffee stashed somewhere on you,” he checked. She jerked her head towards her living room.

  “On the counter out there.”